Peugeot's 3-wheel hybrid scooter concept puts a roof over your head

October 15, 2008 It's not a car and it's not quite a scooter. Peugeot's HYmotion3 compressor concept vehicle is an original mix of previously seen design elements - a semi-enclosed shell akin to BMW's C1 or the Benelli Adiva and the carving 3-wheel layout of Piaggio's MP3 - with hybrid drivetrain technology added to produce a 2-person vehicle that promises low CO2 emissions as well as greater safety and weather protection than conventional scooters.

The Concept, which brought together designers from both Peugeot's motorcycle and automobile departments, uses the 15kW (20 BHP) supercharged petrol engine from the Satelis scooter along with a 3kW electric motor in each of the front wheels to provide a maximum output of 21 kW (29 bhp). This means it not only offers the stability (which we can attest to) of the 3-wheel layout but also 3-wheel drive traction.

The system can operate in three modes: electric only during deceleration or at speeds up to 10kph; petrol only on the open road; and a combined hybrid mode. This all adds up to consumption of 2 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of only 47 g/kph.

Power to the Lithium Ion batteries is supplemented by a regenerative braking system and Peugeot says that the combination of ABS, electric motor braking and the 3-wheel layout reduces braking distance by around 30% compared with conventional brakes on a two-wheeled scooter.

The body design is just 82cm wide and the rear-view mirrors are dropped in favor of a camera system that displays images on the dash, so you can still weave through traffic and fit into tight parking spaces. The bubble shaped roof appears to have slightly more overhang, and would therefore offer a little more weather protection, than either the C1 or the Adiva.